Ada Nuzum 1918 - 2009

NUZUM, JOHNSON, FREDRICKSON, RILEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 6/25/2019 at 22:18:28

Onawa Democrat
29 July 2009

Ada Nuzum, 91, Phoenix, Arizona passed away on July 2, 2009.

A memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 31, 2009 at Bethesda Lutheran Church at Moorhead, Iowa with Pastor Carla Johnsen officiating. Burial will be in Soldier Valley Cemetery at Pisgah, Iowa under the direction of Rush Family Care Service at Onawa, Iowa. Memorial services were held in Arizona on July 7.

Ada was born June 1, 1918 in rural Moorhead, Iowa, the daughter of Raymond and Lottie (Johnson) Fredrickson. Ada graduated from Moorhead High School in 1935. Ada married Richard "Dick" Stanton Riley September 18, 1937 in Missouri Valley, Iowa. To this union two daughters and two sons were born. The Family lived in Little Sioux and Pisgah, Iowa until they moved to Fresno, California in 1947. Ada was a homemaker and a part-time waitress for a catering company.

In September 1952, the family moved back to Iowa due to Ada's Mother's health. Ada and her husband Dick owned the Moorhead Cafe, in Moorhead, Iowa from 1953 to 1961. After Dick's death, Ada continued to operate the cafe for six more years. She also had a lunch stand on Saturdays at the Moorhead Sale Barn. Ada's daughter and husband purchased the cafe in 1967.

While helping her daughter out in the cafe, Ada met Ernest Nuzum, a well known farmer from Pisgah, Iowa. They were married September 1, 1968. Ernest continued to farm for a few years, they took up traveling to Arizona during the winter months, visiting Ada's children and winter friends. When Ernest passed in May 1999, Ada became a permanent resident of Phoenix.

Ada was a member of Bethesda Lutheran church in Moorhead, Iowa. She attended the Interdenominational church at Desert Shadows Resort Park where Ada resided since 2000. Ada was very active organizing potlucks, teaching the exercise classes, playing cards most every evening and enjoying the dances on Saturday nights.

After open heart surgery on April 3, 2006, Ada never was able to live alone. She resided in an Adult Care Home where she was a great example of faith and courage and never once did she complain. She died of Parkinson's disease.

Ada is survived by her daughter, Barbara Riley-Hunt (Myron); sons, Richard "Rick" F. Riley (Norene) and John S. Riley (Nancy); four stepsons, Eugene, Gary (Susie), Dennis (Diane), Lonnie (Bonnie) Nuzum and stepdaughter, Elaine Nielsen (Jerry), 10 grandchildren and 20 step grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 20 step great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Dick and Ernest; a daughter, Charlanne Hiskey and great granddaughter, Seraiah Stoeffler. Ada will be greatly missed for her unconditional love and laughter. She will be remembered for her great example of accepting, whatever life deals a person, with faith and courage.